Process for making spikes



Feb. 14, 1933. F. H. WILLIAMS PROCESS FOR MAKING SPIKES Original Filed Nov. 16. 1922 I 2 Sheets-Sheet ammo/ rma (i! Momma 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F'wz/r HWzZZkdrrza,frzco 21123 F. H. WILLIAMS PROCESS FOR MAKING SFIKES Original Filed Nov. 16.

lllt p Feb. 14, 1933.

Patented Feb. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES rarer or ies FRANK H. WILLIAMS, INCOTMPETENT, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, BY ANNIE M. WIL- LIAMS, GUARDIAN, OF BUFFALO, NE W YORK, ASSIGNOR- TO SEIRAL-ROLLED PROD- UCTS COMPANY, INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK PROCESS FOR MAKING SPIKES Original application filed November 16, 1922, Serial No. 601,262. Divided and. this application filed July 19, 1929. Serial No. 379,443.

Thisinvention relates in general to the reduction and pointing of metals, and in particular to a process for making railroad spikes.

This is a divisional application, the original of which was filed November 16, 1922, and given Serial No. 601,262.

Vhile this invention has been described as applied to the manufacture of railroad spikes,

it is obvious that it is applicable to the manufacture of any other object which has a portion or the whole of its body reduced and pointed.

The principal object of this invention has been to provide a process whereby the formation or, for instance, a spike may be made in a progressive manner.

Moreover, this process is such that the pointing of the product may be accomplished continuously with or as a part of the reducing process, or concurrently with the completion thereof.

Furthermore, by this process the product may be provided with a point in the form of a chisel edge without the necessity of having to shear oif any surplus metal.

In the accompanying drawings, has been shown a complete spike and one form of apparatus by which the process of forming the body and the point of the same may be carried out, it being obvious that the operation of formin the head of the spike may be separately performed in a manner so well known to those skilled in the art that it needs no further description. While there has been shown and described one form or" apparatus for carrying out this process, it is clear that other forms of apparatus may be employed for obtaining the desired results. In the drawings:

Fig 1 shows in a diagrammatical. manner a longitudinal, sectional view of a bar being reduced by this process.

Fig 2 is a cross-sectional view, taken on line of the complete apparatus for producing this spike, and is taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation, taken on line 99 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged, perspective View of the stop used in this apparatus.

Fig. 9 is a perspective View of a complete spike made by this process.

Fig. 10 is an end view of the point of the spike, showing the grain of the cross-tie indicated by the double arrow.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary, perspective view of a spike showing a modified form of point.

The apparatus shown in the drawings is designed primarily for forming railroad track spikes, and comprises a shaper 15, and a pointer 16. The pointer 16 is substantially identical to the shaper 15 except for the dies and the stop, to be hereinafter described. These devices are arranged in parallel rela tion. as shown in Fig. 6, whereby a spike being formed will pass through the shaper 15 directly into the pointer 16, and thereby be pointed as the shaping operation is being completed.

Inasmuch as the shaper 15 and the pointer 16 are substantially identical, the general parts of both of these devices will be described together, and given the same numerals. Each device comprises a die plate 17, and a cover plate 18. A. plurality of radial slots 19 are formed in each of the die plates and they terminate at a central aperture 20 through which the workpiece is passed. Since the spike, shown and described, comprises four longitudinal ribs, each of the 90 of the spike at which they are arranged, for purposes to be hereinafter described. From the foregoing it will be clear that the point of this spike is fluted; or trough-shapcd in cross-section.

It has been discovered as a result of these experiments that there is a certain definite angle which the edges 62 at the point of the spike will assume with its axis or a line parallel thereto during the pointing operation. This is the natural angle of flow of the metal as it is being pointed and will be hereinafter referred to as the pointing angle. If the spike is to be pointed so that it will have true chisel edges without flat spots or projecting fins, it is necessary that the working edges 63 of the pointing dies, which pro vide the cutting edges 62 of the spike, be of substantially the same angle as the pointing angle. Such a condition is shown in Fig. 5, which shows, from the projection, that the edge 62 is sharpened as desired. By making the angle of the working edges 63 the same as the pointing angle, perfect chisel formations will be provided which will eX- tend along the entire lengths of the edges 62 and formed at the point. p

The apparatus, shown in the accompanying drawings, is preferably operated at high speed, and it is obvious that the dies will be rapidly reciprocated. \Vhen' a work-piece is passed in between them it will be quickly shaped. hen the workpiece has been reduced the predetermined length, the forward end will enter the pointing dies 22 and 22a and will pass in between them to the stop 51, whereupon the point shown in the drawings will be formed continuously or concurrently with the completion of the formation of the body.

The point of the spike for which the above apparatus was designed, as hereinbefore described, is formed with live cutting edges, provided by the chisel edge 60, and the four diverging cutting edges 62. The edges 62 adjacent the sides 65 displace the wood a degree equal to the area inclosed between the sides 65 and the adjacent edges 62, as shown in Fig. 10. In this figure, the double arrow shows the direction of the grain of the wood in relation to the chisel edge of the spike. The displacement longitudinally of the grain of the wood is substantially equal to the area inclosed within the lines, representing the chisel edge 60, the sides 67, and the cutting edges 62. As shown in Fig. 10, the chisel edge 60 will serve to sever the fibers of the wood and cause the greater amount of displacement to occur along lines substantially parallel to the grain of the wood. The transverse displacement, or that at right angles to the grain, is ust sufficient to insure a snug fit of the wood against the sides of the spike without causing any splitting tendency. Because of this proportionate displacement, the

surface of the wood at the neck of the spike is effectively closed against the admission of moisture.

In Fig. 11 is shown a fragmentary portion of a spike which is provided with a modified form of point. In this form four radial cutting edges 66 are provided. These extend from the axis of the spike to the outer edges of the body thereof, and are each preferably chisel-shaped. While this form of point is not quite so efficient, yet it does not compress the fibers of the wood beyond their elastic limits, and itstendency to split the wood, into which it is driven, is slight.

During the pointing process, the end of the spike may become slightly flared and distorted, but this is reduced and the point of the spike is again brought to its normal shape by the return passage through the reducing dies 21 as the finished spike is being withdrawn from the apparatus.

While there has been shown an apparatus in which reciprocating dies are employed, it 7 is obvious that rolling surfaces ofthe proper contour, having properly located projections thereon, for reducing, pointing, and shearing o-if may be employed with equal eificiency.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed is:

1. A process of making a spike, comprising the formation of a body by progressively compressing successive longitudinal portions thereof on more than two sides at once so that the displaced metal flows only inwardly toward the axis, and longitudinally thereof,

and then forming a fluted point continuously with the formation of the body by compressing the point at more than two sides at once at angles which correspond to the natural angle of flow of the metal.

2. A process of making a spike, comprising the formation of a fluted body by progressively compressing .successive longitudinal portions thereof on more than two sides at once so that the displaced metal flows only inwardly toward the axis, and longitudinally thereof, and then forming a point continuously with the formation of the body by compressing the point at more than two sides at once at angles which correspond to the natural angle of flow of the metal. 7

3. A process of making a spike, comprising the formation of a fluted body by progressively compressing successive longitudinal portions thereof on more than two sides at once so that the displaced metal flows only inwardly toward the axis, and longitudinally thereof, and then forming a fluted point continuously with the formation of the body by compressing the point at more than two sides at once at angles which correspond to the natural angle of flow of the metal.

4:. Aprocess of making a spike, comprising the formation of a fluted body by progressively compressing successive longitudinal .G'zldrdz'em of the Estate of portions th ereof dnirhor thintwb sid slaiz 011% so thatflthe displaced. mtal flows only inwardly toward the axis, and lQngitudinally thereof, and then forming a fluted point c0n-.

currently with the finishing of the formation 0f the body by compressing the-p int at more than two sides at onceiat angles which correspond to thefnatural angle of flow of the" metal.

In testimony whereof,V'I' haVefheI euntb signqd my name.

ANNIE ML WILLIAMS, 

